94% Indian travellers plan trips influenced by hit shows, says report

Indians have been on a travel spree this year, a trend that will continue in 2024 according to a new report by global travel site Skyscanner.

The report reveals that 94 per cent Indians are inclined to take a trip to a destination that they have seen on screen, to immerse themselves in the iconic location of their favourite shows. Forty-two per cent of Indian travellers want to experience Paris like Emily Cooper, the fictional lead character from the Netflix series, Emily in Paris. Following the release of the third season of the show, Skyscanner saw a 23 per cent increase in searches from India to Paris in January compared to the previous month.

Meanwhile, 43 per cent said the overall “vibe” of a destination was important for choosing where to go in 2024.

The report also shows that an increasing number of Indians are looking for experiences while travelling, with price no longer solely determining decisions. Thirty-seven per cent said they would fly short haul to see their favourite artist live, with 79 per cent considering attending a concert overseas instead in 2024 if it would help them save money.

“The desire to explore and to make the best out of holidays with richer, more fulfilling experiences is evident among Indian travellers, as 63 per cent are budgeting to spend more on travel in 2024,” said Mohit Joshi, travel trends and destination expert, Skyscanner.

Taking flight

·         86% of Indian travellers plan to take the same number, if not more, trips abroad in 2024 compared to 2023

·         43% rate the overall ‘vibe’ of a destination as important when choosing where to go in 2024

·         37% plan to upgrade their flight to business or first class in 2024, while 44% plan to purchase airport lounge access to get their trip off to a great start

·         26% say the cost of flights mostly determines their choice of destination

·         66% say they sleep better on vacation

·         59% say they have booked a destination purely on the basis of a restaurant they wanted to visit

Top 5 destinations for Y-o-Y increase in searches by Indian travellers

1.    Da Nang, Vietnam (1141%)

2.    Almaty, Kazakhstan (501%)

3.    Baku, Azerbaijan (438%)

4.    Osaka, Japan (435%)

5.    Hanoi, Vietnam (396%)

Top 5 destinations for Indian travellers in terms of drop in airfares

1.    Nice, France (39%)

2.    Geneva, Switzerland (28%)

3.    Tokyo, Japan (27%)

4.    Manama, Bahrain (24%)

5.    Baku, Azerbaijan (22%)